I started reading this a year or two ago. I really need to pick it back up and go through it again. I found it very interesting to read and as I read fiction, I find myself breaking things down somewhat, though probably not as much as I should. I do find myself figuring things out in the movies I watch and the TV series I watch minutes, sometimes even episodes, before they happen. And a lot of that has to do with me thinking as a writer and how I would do it.

I am currently writing a Western on "The Legend of Sven Svenson, the Swedish Cowboy" detailing my thinking. It's more of writing down the movie in your head. I will have to look your book. Thanks, Jael.

That is exactly the way that Francine Prose teaches a lot of her classes! As a matter of fact at the end of the book there are 3 pages of great literature that she thinks all prospective writers should read.

actually, it's next on the list...as soon as i finish "how to read literature read like a professor" by thomas c. foster. as one who loved doing research papers, it organizes all that thinking you did and gets ya where ya need to go a bit quicker in the future.

Absolutely, most respected writing programs have a list of 100 or more required reading classics that span the ages through today. But, it is a good idea to read some fiction studiously paying attention to style and structure, hard to do, because you get lost in good fiction and forget to pay attention.

taking to uninvited writer's point--i completely agree about reading great literature or any other kind of literature, for that matter, but i'm not so sure about the picking up on grammatical issues "naturally" comment-- in part because lots of great or even good literature breaks or bends those issues almost beyond recognition sometimes and without a working knowledge of those rules and issues, you don't recognize the exceptions and, as a writer, i think it's harder to tell your story as effectively as you would want. granted, it's a technical point, but, particularly if you are trying to publish, using every tool in the box to tell your story can only put you a leg up on all the rest.

It can be hard to read like a writer! I know I can easily get lost in a story and forget to pay attention to how a writer keeps me so interested. But I still believe that at least half of what I know and have learned about writing has come from reading books (The other half would be from how-to books).

I'm interested in this book that you mention, especially because I believe in reading to learn how to write. I'll check it out.

I got mine at the library, but if you go to my hub Write Whats In Your Heart and Soul I have links to half.com and Amazon. I'm sure one will have it! Half.com has everything. I use them all the time! And you are very welcome!

Are you a writer who reads or a writer who doesn't read?Almost every article on how to become a good writer emphasizes the necessity to read, read, read. I am not a reader per se; I can't sit down with a novel and...

Let's support our own efforts by reading each other's short stories, then leaving a comment at the bottom of the hub (pro or con). I have three stories posted at jfrankdunkin.hubpages.com. They are,...